Another Yamato episode and just like his other episodes, it felt a bit hasty in its execution. The biggest problems I have with Yamato episodes is that the premises are always really interesting… but I don’t think they are done justice in one episode. Which causes the impact to not hit as hard as it should. It’s honestly a bit disappointing since I feel like I would really enjoy these premises if they had a little more time to breathe and wasn’t just constrained to one episode. I felt this situation needed at least like three episodes in order to get the right impact across.
Yamato and Gabumon run into a rampaging Digimon called Zanbamon and as soon as I heard those horns, I knew there was some sort of Japanese general-like Digimon about to appear. And lo and behold, I was right. The setting felt like a very typical older Japanese time period with the bamboo forest and shady looking fog. Anyways, a group of Digimon tried to fend it off but just as I figured, were totally obliterated. Especially considering Zanbamon was a freaking mega and the two Digimon that attacked it were only Champions. There was no way they would stand a chance. We then learn that Zanbamon and a golden armored Digimon had fought in the past, with the golden armored Digimon having defeated it. However, Zanbamon’s spirit somehow lives on and is now a curse that spreads terror and destruction wherever it happens to be until sunrise.
The Digimon, Storabimon that was left to protect the village being attacked by this curse of a Digimon probably would have been a really interesting character if we spent a little more time with him. We do learn that he is the only survivor of a village that Zanbamon destroyed prior and I feel like the episode was trying to portray that he could have survivor’s guilt or something along those lines. Especially since he not only survived his village’s demise, but was the only one out of the three Digimon that were set to pose as distractions to survive as well. However, it didn’t feel like we were able to get to know him enough for me to grow attached to him as a character and he ended up feeling like he was just there to move the plot of the episode along. Not to mention that this is the previous stage of one of my favorite Digimon, Lobomon from Frontier. They could have done so much with him, but ended up feeling underdeveloped. Which is such a shame, because his design looked so similar to Weregarurumon and the two could have had a deeper connection.
This part kind of went over my head a little, but I wasn’t sure if Gabumon was the original warrior, Cresgarurumon or if its spirit had triggered that evolution. Which makes me wonder if Gabumon can access this evolution now as well as Metalgarurumon or if this was a one time thing like with Blitzgreymon and Ponchomon. It would be honestly cool if they utilized these evolutions a little more, but judging how it seems like the alternate evolutions are more or less a one time thing, I guess I shouldn’t get my hopes up. And as cool as Cresgarurumon is, I’m a bit disappointed that not much went into its fight with Zanbamon, though I guess they kept it in line with typical old Japanese face-offs with a single blow being the deciding factor of a fight. After they completely spoiled us with the Rebellimon episode, it’s hard to not be disappointed when the fights afterwards don’t seem to compare or are less interesting.
Again, the premise to this episode was really interesting and I did find myself enjoying it for the most part. I really like historic Japanese settings so there was a bit of intrigue going into the situation. But due to the pacing, I never got attached to any of the new Digimon even though I felt like the episode WANTED me to be invested in Storabimon and his issues. However, the execution just wasn’t the greatest and I didn’t find myself invested in anything that was going on since this mostly felt like a filler episode that wanted to put too much into it. Which is disappointing because I felt like if they had a little more time for this minor arc, it could have been so much more. It really is starting to be a bit frustrating with this series dangling really interesting concepts in your face but in the end it doesn’t amount to much. Overall this episode was fine, if not slightly underwhelming.
Also I’m getting REAL tired of this series just shoving Taichi into every episode because again, the episode wouldn’t have changed if he wasn’t there. I know Taichi is supposed to be the MAIN character, but it starts getting pretty obnoxious when they just insert him into the situation and does absolutely nothing to move the plot along. Just ten more episodes… ten more episodes and I can be released from this series…
TBH it made more sense for Taichi’s appearance in this episode as Koushiro called him to assist Yamato. Unlike the Mimi episode where he’s literally just… there.
That’s true. But the fact that his help really didn’t amount to much is what annoyed me.